


ACOTAR One Shots

by tealnymph24



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 12:55:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30005211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tealnymph24/pseuds/tealnymph24
Summary: A series of random one shots within the ACOTAR universe. Mostly Gwynriel, but also other couples too.
Relationships: Azriel/Gwyneth Berdara
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	1. Jealousy Part 1: Hurt

**Author's Note:**

> I have a million ideas. This is a place for me to write all the random ideas and scenes that don't fit into my main fic. Do not expect a regular upload schedule.

Gwyn laid another flower in the basket next to her, careful not to crush the beautiful bloom Elain had handed her. They would have a lovely bouquet when they were finished.

The two females were in Elain’s garden at the river estate, basking in the late summer air. They had become friends through Nesta over the last few months, which had led to Elain offering to teach Gwyn about gardening. In exchange, Gwyn was teaching Elain the basics of self-defense. Gwyn was not as close with Elain as she was with Nesta, but they got along well. She was happy to have another friend in Velaris.

“So, how’s Lucien,” Gwyn asked Elain mischievously. She knew Elain was trying to work through things with Lucien and was still a bit shy about it. Her question brought a soft blush to Elain’s face.

“He’s good,” Elain quietly responded. “Things are going quite well with him, I think.”

“Oh? Tell me more,” Gwyn eagerly pressed, wanting to hear about her friend’s budding romance. She loved romance, in any form, but especially when it involved her friends.

“There’s not much to tell,” Elain insisted, blushing crimson. “At least not anything that you don’t already know. Besides, what about you and Azriel? Tell me about that.”

Now it was Gwyn’s turn to blush. Her friendship with Azriel had begun turning into something more, but she wasn’t entirely sure what that meant yet. She knew she had feelings for him, but she wasn’t sure how he felt for her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lied unconvincingly, avoiding looking at Elain. “We’re just friends.”

“Oh, you mean you’re just friends in the same way Cassian and Nesta were just friends, right?” Elain teased, an amused smile on her lips.

“You know what I mean,” Gwyn playfully poked her friend. “I don’t know what else to call it. We haven’t exactly discussed whatever it is that’s going on.”

“Well, I can see where it’s going, even if you two won’t admit it,” Elain replied, a knowing look in her eyes as she turned back to the flowers. Had she seen some vision? Gwyn didn’t dare ask. “I’m happy for you though. You know that, right?”

Gwyn laughed lightly. “Of course, and I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you,” Elain smiled. “But seriously, it makes me so happy to see you and Azriel together. You’re perfect for each other.”

Gwyn didn’t know how to respond. She knew she wanted more with Azriel, but she was terrified of admitting it. Elain, never fully as comfortable with silence as Gwyn was, went on.

“You know, I once had a ridiculous crush on Azriel, before I realized how wonderful Lucien is,” Elain shook her head, laughing at herself. “Thank the gods we both came to our sense before it turned into anything more.”

“Wait, what do you mean? What happened?” Azriel had never told her about anything with Elain. Her stomach fluttered nervously as Elain looked up at the worry in her tone.

“Oh, no, Gwyn, I promise it was nothing,” Elain stumbled out, a look of fear replacing her earlier serenity. “Please don’t be upset. I was only telling you because I thought it was funny how much a few months can a change things. That’s all. Please don’t be mad.”

“Elain, I am not mad,” Gwyn assured her, meaning her words. She wasn’t upset, only confused. “I’m just curious what happened.”

“Nothing really,” Elain said nervously, picking at the hem of her gardening apron. “We shared stolen glances for a while, exchanged a few solstice gifts and almost kissed. But that’s it. Nothing more ever happened.”

Gwyn was silent for a moment, slightly hurt that Azriel had almost kissed Elain but never her. But that was something she should discuss with Azriel; she had no reason to be mad at Elain. Seeing how worried Elain was getting, she tried changing the subject to something trivial.

“Elain, it’s okay, I believe you,” she promised, taking a deep breath to calm herself. “Tell me about the solstice gifts though. What kind of gift giver is Azriel? Is he terrible?”

“Surprisingly, no,” Elain slowly said, concern still showing. “Maybe it’s his observation skills, but he’s actually rather good at choosing gifts. He gave me a necklace that had a pretty glass rose on it. It was lovely. I gave it back to him the morning after solstice though.”

Elain gradually returned to her bubbly demeanor as she spoke, but every word made Gwyn’s heart drop. The chain around her neck suddenly felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. She gently pulled out the necklace from the training leathers she was wearing.

“Elain, did the necklace look like this?”

Elain gaped, her face giving Gwyn all the answer she needed. Simmering anger unexpectedly erupted. She wasn’t upset with Elain, there as no reason to be. She was furious with Azriel. How could he have done this? To both of them?

“Gwyn, I didn’t know,” Elain choked out, terror in her eyes. “I swear. Gwyn, please, I’m so sorry. It was a silly mistake, on both our parts. I don’t know how you got that necklace, but I don’t think it was meant to hurt you. Azriel wouldn’t do that. Please don’t be mad.”

“Elain, I am not upset with you,” Gwyn managed to force out. “You are my friend, and this changes nothing. This is between Azriel and me. Okay?”

Elain nodded solemnly, understanding there was nothing she could do.

“However, I would like to know something,” Gwyn went on, rising to her feet as she spoke. “Do you want this necklace back?”

“No, I don’t want it,” Elain vigorously shook her head. “Gwyn, I don’t know what you’re about to do, but I’ll support you no matter what. You’re my friend.”

Gwyn nodded reassuringly before turning to the house. She wasn’t sure what she was about to do either. She stormed inside, blindly passing Lucien on his way to the garden. There was only one male she wanted to see right now.

She found the male in question lounging in the dining room with Cassian, the two of them laughing about something. Their smiles quickly faded as she strode in, cold fury removing any hesitation she might have had to confront the warrior in front of her.

“Gwyn, what’s –” Azriel started, his face going pale as he got to his feet.

“Don’t,” Gwyn cut him off, anger boiling over. “Don’t you say a single word.”

She charged toward him, pulling out a dagger in the process. She watched his eyes widen, confusion and fear mingling on his beautiful face. It made her stomach churn.

“How could you!” She screeched as she reached him, shoving him back with as much force as she could muster. He stayed upright but backed up farther. “How could you lie to me? How could you lie to Elain?”

She knew most of the house could hear her, but she didn’t care. He should have told her – he should have told Elain _and_ her. He deserved to feel as foolish as he had made her feel.

“Gwyn, how about you calm down and tell us what’s going on?” Cassian said, trying to step between them. She pushed past him, stalking closer to a still stunned Azriel. She pulled the necklace out once again, holding it away from her neck.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” She furiously questioned him, forcing him to back into the wall as she continued slowly walking toward him. “Why didn’t you just tell me this was never meant for me?”

She stood directly in front of him, staring him down. She could tell he understood what she was talking about now. His face had completely gone slack when he saw the necklace. She could see the agony in his eyes, but she didn’t care. She was hurt and she wanted him to know it.

“Elain told me what happened between you,” she quietly said, going deathly still. “I don’t care about that. I care that you didn’t tell me. I care that you gave me something that you chose for someone else. I care that you made me feel special and it was all a lie.”

She hated that her voice was breaking. She hated that this was happening. She hated that none of this changed how she felt about Azriel. She hated that she already knew she would forgive him. Maybe not yet, but she would.

“Gwyn, please,” Azriel whispered, the misery in his voice almost breaking her resolve. “Gwyn, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I can explain.”

No, she couldn’t bear it. She couldn’t listen to him right now. She would eventually move past this, but not now. She needed him to understand how much he had hurt her.

She pushed him against the wall, bringing her dagger to his throat. He sucked in a breath, clearly shocked by her actions, but he didn’t fight back. She stood on her toes, leaning toward his ear.

“I don’t want your explanation,” she whispered, trying to hide the crack in her voice. “It seems I’ve cut this ribbon too, Shadowsinger.”

She turned away from him, almost knicking his throat in the process. Neither Azriel nor Cassian moved as she stormed out of the dining room. Just as she reached the doors to leave the house, she heard quick footsteps behind her. She increased her pace, fleeing through the entry into the bright sun.

“Gwyn, wait!” Azriel called from behind her, his long legs easily catching up to her. “Gwyn, please! Just stop.”

She refused to so much as turn to him, marching aimlessly into the city as he closed the gap between them.

“Gwyn, please just listen!” He begged, gently trying to grab her arm. She shook him off, rejecting his touch. “Gwyn, I didn’t give you that necklace to hurt you. I just thought it might make you happy. I wasn’t thinking. Gwyn, please.”

She didn’t acknowledge him, simply increasing her pace. He easily kept up, much to her frustration. She needed to get away from him. If he continued talking, her determination to be angry with him would fade. She headed toward the river, letting her feet lead blindly take her.

“Gwyneth! Stop, please,” Azriel urgently continued, refusing to give up. “Elain returned the necklace to me and that was it. There hasn’t been anything else between us. I gave you the necklace because I thought it would make you smile. And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to know it was from me. Please, Gwyn. Please listen to me.”

She hated that she could hear his voice breaking. It made her heart ache, but she would not give in. She wasn’t ready to forgive him yet. They had reached the river, the late afternoon sun making the water sparkle. She whirled toward him, deciding to have this out now.

“Why should I believe you?” She questioned, letting her anger boil to the surface. People were staring now, her raised voice drawing attention. She didn’t care. “Why should I believe I’m not just some substitute for someone else?”

“Gwyn, I would never…that’s not…I.”

“All you had to do was tell me, Azriel,” she pressed on, not giving him a chance to collect his thoughts. She pulled the necklace off and clenched it in her fist. “One conversation. That’s it. But instead, you hid it from me, from Elain _and_ me. It’s not fair to either of us.”

“Gwyn, I’m sorry,” he whispered, barely audible over the rushing water next to them. She could tell he was being sincere, but she ignored it. “I never wanted to hurt either of you. Elain is my friend and you’re…you’re.”

She didn’t give him an opportunity to finish. If he kept talking, she would shatter. She needed him to stop, before she lost her will to be angry. Before she started crying. So she did the only thing she could think of.

She shoved her arms into him with every ounce of force she was capable of, sending him falling backward into the Sidra. If it had been any other situation, he probably would have seen it coming, but she had caught him off guard. He tumbled into the cold water, too shocked to stop himself from falling.

She looked down at him as he emerged from the rushing river, stunned and soaked. The water pushed against him, trying to drag him downstream, but he managed to hold his ground. They stared at each other for a long moment, both breathing heavily. Finally, she gathered her thoughts enough to speak, deciding in the moment how she wanted this to go.

“Azriel, I will eventually forgive you,” she slowly began, determined to get through her speech without breaking. “I will be your friend again. But not yet. Not until I _choose_ to be your friend again. In the meantime, you can spend time with me when we are around our mutual friends, but that’s it. Do not try to push me. I get to decide what happens next. Not you.”

He nodded, still standing in the river, shivering now. Her anger already fading, she decided this would be it. This would be the only time they ever spoke about the necklace in her hand. As she had promised, she would forgive him for it. She believed Elain’s and his explanations. There was nothing left to fight about.

But forgiveness wouldn’t happen today. Despite how much it pained her to see him so hurt, she was also hurting. She needed him to understand that. She took one last long look at him, her anger already fading, before she abruptly threw the necklace into the Sidra and walked away.


	2. Jealousy Part 2: Rage

Azriel slowly made his way to the private library at the House of Wind, trying to stall the inevitable. Cassian and Nesta had invited Gwyn, Emerie, Mor, Balthazar and himself to spend the evening with them. He had accepted the invitation before learning Balthazar would be part of the group. If he had known beforehand, he would have made some excuse, but it was too late now. He would just have to deal with the unwanted male’s presence.

It wasn’t that Balthazar was a bad male; he was probably decent enough. But Balthazar had gotten close to Gwyn, too close for Azriel’s taste. He knew he had no right to be jealous of whoever Gwyn chose to spend time with, but he couldn’t help the longing he felt whenever he saw them together.

As he arrived at the library, he took a deep breath to calm himself before opening the doors. But as he took in the group of people in front of him, he was filled with burning jealousy.

Gwyn, Emerie and Mor were near the windows laughing with Balthazar. The male looked utterly relaxed as he enthusiastically spoke, occasionally taking a sip from his wine glass. And Gwyn – lovely Gwyn – looked happier than ever, beaming as she listened to Balthazar’s story.

He stared at them with quiet rage, jealousy tainting every bone in his body. Why couldn’t he be the one she looked at like that? Why didn’t she let him close to her like that?

Nesta and Cassian interrupted his thoughts, greeting him and dragging him over to a sofa. He barely heard anything they said, too focused on Gwyn to fully register anything else. He was vaguely aware of a wine glass being placed in his hand, but that was it.

It had been weeks since Gwyn had found out about that wretched necklace, the one he had given to Elain first. He had given it to Gwyn without thinking about the hurt it might cause if she ever learned it wasn’t originally bought for her. He had only wanted her to smile, to have something that made her happy. He hadn’t even considered that something would blossom between them.

But it had, and he had ruined it. His utter foolishness had cost him everything. All he wanted was Gwyn, but she was lost to him. He would do anything to fix it, but he didn’t know how. He had apologized to Elain, and obeyed Gwyn’s instructions not to push her. She had wanted to be the one to decide what happened next. All he could do was wait.

He chugged his glass of wine, not listening to the conversation around him. His shadows were trying to sooth him, but it was useless. He couldn’t stop staring at Gwyn, smiling and laughing with Balthazar. He would give anything to be the one making her smile like that.

“Staring daggers at Balthazar isn’t going to get you far with Gwyn,” Nesta’s statement shocked him. He had been so focused on watching Gwyn he had forgotten about the two people sitting with him. “Why not try talking to her?”

“I can’t. You know that,” he grudgingly replied, too irritated to attempt any form of politeness. Nesta wouldn’t care anyway. Her and Cassian already knew about everything, they didn’t expect him to pretend to be happy. “She doesn’t want me talking to her.”

Nesta just patted him on the leg, turning back to Cassian. They sunk into a whispered conversation, leaving him to sulk. He went back to watching Gwyn, but his jealousy quickly turned to icy fury.

Balthazar was leaning close to Gwyn, a hand on her arm as he whispered something in her ear. Gwyn’s face went wide in amusement before she began laughing hysterically, leaning into Balthazar with a bright smile. The sight made Azriel almost blind with envy.

He needed something to do, anything that might distract him from this. Something that would take his mind off the female in front of him. He had brought this on himself, he knew that, but he couldn’t just sit here. He couldn’t keep watching Gwyn flirt with another male. He filled his wine glass and chugged it again, filling it a third time before rising from his seat.

He brazenly strode over to the group of friends, standing next to Mor so he could properly face Balthazar. The three females went quiet, but the other male just smirked at him and put his arm around Gwyn’s shoulders. If the ladies had not been there, Azriel might have punched him for it.

“Hello, Shadowsinger,” Balthazar drawled, nothing but cool confidence in his voice. “How’s it going?”

“Fine,” Azriel curtly answered, any ability to be nice disappearing. He had never felt jealousy like this before. He knew why, but he couldn’t say it. Not even in his own mind. If he said the reason he was feeling like this than he would crumble.

And he couldn’t shatter, not in front of Gwyn. He had promised he wouldn’t push her, and he would keep that promise. Even if that meant he had to deal with the agony this secret knowledge caused him. He would not put that kind of pressure on her. But there was no way he was going to let this new male think he was better than him.

“So, Balthazar,” Azriel slowly said, putting on a mask of indifference and idle curiosity. “Now that you’ve completed the Blood Rite, will you still compete in the yearly trials?”

Illyrians were not required to compete in the qualifying events after they had completed the Blood Rite, but many chose to continue participating. It was a matter of bragging rights. A chance to show other Illyrians who was the best of the best.

“No, I’m done with the qualifiers,” Balthazar casually responded, not backing down from Azriel’s steely gaze. “But I’m still going to compete in the annual air events.”

Azriel knew what Balthazar was referring to, even while Gwyn looked slightly confused. The air events were traditionally held in the Autumn with the purpose of testing the legions’ flight abilities. Since the Blood Rite required wings be bound, the Illyrians had created a separate trial for flying. It had always been Azriel’s favorite event.

He may have learned how to fly late, but he had perfected it. Pushed himself to be the best. He had won the air races year after year when he was at the camps. It gave him an idea. A way to blow off some of the rage still simmering beneath his cool exterior.

“Oh really, are you any good?” Azriel asked, returning Balthazar’s earlier smirk. “At the air races, I mean.”

“Yes, the best.”

“Is that so?”

“I’ve won every year I’ve competed.”

“Hmmm, then you must be good,” Azriel drawled, taking a long gulp of his wine. “How about a little challenge? So the ladies can see your skills.”

“What kind of challenge?”

“A race, from the balcony to the river and back,” Azriel explained, ignoring Mor’s pointed jab in the ribs. She knew what he was doing, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to feel something, anything, besides this gnawing envy.

“You’re on, Shadowsinger,” Balthazar grinned broadly, accepting the challenge.

“Perfect. Shall we?” He gestured to the door. Balthazar turned to Gwyn, offering her an arm and leading her out of the library. Azriel’s shadows deepened around him as he stared at their backs, desperately wishing he was the one walking with Gwyn.

“You’re an idiot,” Mor interrupted his wallowing. “You should just talk to her instead of acting like a jealous fool.”

He didn’t respond. She was right, but it made no difference. He couldn’t talk to Gwyn, he had made a promise. Mor stalked off, Emerie in tow. Azriel took a deep breath and followed them, Nesta and Cassian joining them a moment later.

Ten minutes later, Azriel and Balthazar were standing at the edge of the balcony overlooking Velaris. They had gone over the flight path and rules, neither of them bothering to change into training leathers. It was flying, not fighting. They could do this just as well in their regular clothes. Now they were just waiting for Cassian to give them the signal to start.

The rest of the group was gathered behind them, ready to watch the race. Azriel blocked them out, focusing in on the task at hand. He was going to beat Balthazar; he would accept nothing less. He slowed his breathing, eager to be in the air now. The air seemed to still in anticipation. A short second later Cassian finally called, “Go!”

And they were off, plunging over the edge of the balcony into the night. Balthazar let out his wings early, catching an updraft and soaring high into the sky. But Azriel waited, knowing there was a low current towards the middle of the mountain. He felt it instinctively, throwing out his wings at the perfect moment.

He barreled through the sky, racing to the middle of the Sidra. He could sense Balthazar high above him, keeping pace. Balthazar was good, he would give the male that. But he was better. He pushed himself harder, determined to reach the river first. This was the easy part. The trick was how quickly you could bank the turn back to the house.

They reached the river almost simultaneously, Azriel edging out Balthazar by a half second. He banked hard, using the momentum to drive him up. This was it all came down to. Falling was easy, climbing was harder. But he had saved his energy on the way down, the choice of a longer fall allowing him to conserve his strength for the flight back.

He could feel Balthazar gaining on him, following his path. The other male had banked the turn as well as he had, allowing him to gain on Azriel enough to be almost directly above him. But this wasn’t over. Azriel still had one more trick up his sleeve. If Balthazar was going to copy his path, then he would let him.

Azriel veered left, leading Balthazar on a trajectory to the far side of the balcony rather than the middle. The other male followed. The were neck and neck now, the balcony fast approaching. Azriel could hear their friends cheering. For who? He didn’t care.

As they made the final ascent to the balcony, Azriel pulled away from the mountain at the last second. But Balthazar didn’t see the trap in time; nearly colliding with a hidden outcropping just below the outstretched balcony. Azriel avoided it, far enough out to swoop by with ease. But it caused Balthazar to swerve to the side, costing him precious time. Azriel landed on the balcony a full few seconds before Balthazar.

Balthazar landed a few feet away from him, both of them panting. The females quickly walked over to them, Nesta coming to his side and the others rushing to make sure Balthazar was okay. They had all seen Balthazar’s almost collision with the mountain side. Cassian was bent over, laughing hysterically about it. Azriel had pulled that trick on Cassian countless times.

Nesta wacked him on the back of the head, giving a reprimanding glare to her mate. Azriel just shrugged his shoulders, content with his win. The race had successfully helped him calm down enough to relax slightly. At least, as long as he ignored Gwyn currently checking on Balthazar.

Nesta returned to Cassian; Mor and Emerie joining her a moment later. Gwyn hovered by the edge, not looking at him. Balthazar strode over to him, a hand outstretched. Azriel slowly accepted it, shaking the other male’s hand.

“Well done, Shadowsinger,” Balthazar grinned, appearing unfazed by his defeat. “I didn’t know your skills extended beyond your shadows. Next time, I’ll come better prepared.”

Azriel responded with a strained smile, staring at the side of Gwyn’s face. Why wouldn’t she look at him? Could she not stand him that much? Was she still that hurt?

Azriel was so lost in his thoughts of Gwyn, he didn’t notice Balthazar leaning toward him until he heard the other male whispering in his ear. He went still.

“I don’t mind losing this time, Shadowsinger,” Balthazar drawled. “I know you’re just jealous that Gwyn likes me and not you.”

Balthazar’s words snapped Azriel, his rage spilling over. How dare this male speak on behalf of Gwyn. How dare he act like he had the right to tell Azriel what Gwyn felt. If it was true, then fine. But let Gwyn tell him herself. Don’t take away her voice by telling her secrets. He didn’t care if any of it was true. It was information only she should get to share.

Azriel acted before he could think, furious anyone would speak for Gwyn like that. He threw Balthazar to the ground and was instantly upon the other male, fist moving to strike. But Balthazar dodged, sending Azriel’s hand into thin air. Balthazar managed to roll them both, getting Azriel on his back. Azriel thrust up into Balthazar’s stomach with his knee, just as Balthazar landed a cracking blow to Azriel’s jaw.

Before either of them could do anymore damage, Cassian pulled Balthazar away and quickly pinned Azriel to the ground. Azriel instantly froze, his raised fist falling to his side. Cassian held him to the ground, forcing him to calm down. He didn’t fight it, knowing his brother was doing the right thing.

After a few minutes, Cassian finally moved, pulling him to his feet in the process. He looked around to find Gwyn and Emerie by the doors to the dining room, checking Balthazar for any injuries. Mor and Nesta stood slightly away from them, whispering to each other.

As he strode toward the group, Nesta suddenly walked toward the doors, beating him there.

“How about dinner?” She asked, urging everyone inside. He watched the group disappear through the doors, Gwyn placing a hand on Balthazar’s back. Cassian firmly put a hand on his shoulder, silently pushing him forward. Azriel obeyed, not bothering to argue.

As he entered the dining room, the rest of the group already settling into chairs, he stalked to the opposite side of where Balthazar had just sat, Gwyn hovering next to him. He placed his palms flat on the table, letting his rage show.

“Never speak for her again,” he said with deadly calm, his shadows swirling around him. He stared Balthazar down for a moment, making sure the male wasn’t going to argue, then turned and walked out of the dining room.

He didn’t care if Gwyn wasn’t his to defend, he wasn’t going to let anyone think they had the right to act like her mouthpiece. She was strong enough to speak for herself.

He strode down the hallway, trying to put as much distance between himself and the dining room as possible, but he heard footsteps behind him. Great, what now? His shadows refused to tell him who it was, forcing him to turn around. He immediately froze. It was Gwyn, looking as furious as the day she had found out about the necklace.

He closed his eyes, praying it would end this nightmare if he just didn’t look at her. He couldn’t take this, not again. He knew it was his own fault, but he just wanted to be left alone to think. To sort through the ache in his chest, and the gnawing thread in his heart. But Gwyn clearly wasn’t going to allow that tonight.

“What the hell was that about?” She demanded, coming to a stop a short distance away from him. If he could have sunk into the floor at that moment he would have, but he forced himself to open his eyes and face her.

“Which part?” He asked, trying to stay calm. “The racing or the fighting?”

“All of it!” She half yelled, face glowing with anger. “Why are you acting like an asshole?”

He couldn’t stop the hurt that flooded him. He knew he had been foolish, but he hadn’t thought he had done enough to deserve the title of asshole. Prick, maybe. But asshole?

“How am I the asshole?” He shot back, too tired to stop himself from fighting back. “Your little boyfriend is the one who was trying to speak about YOUR feelings on your behalf.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to fight him! Balthazar is just a friend, and if you can’t see that than maybe you’re just blind!”

“I’M BLIND?” He yelled, all the rage, hurt and jealousy he had felt for weeks boiling over. “Do you really think I don’t see you two flirting all the time?”

“I DO NOT FLIRT WITH HIM,” Gwyn bellowed back, both of them almost screaming now. “He is my friend and that is it. You do not get to dictate who I am friends with.”

“Fine! You might not flirt with him, Gwyn, but he sure as HELL flirts with you.” He knew everyone could hear their argument by now, but he didn’t care. He was done. He had held in too much for too long.

“So what if he does?” Gwyn shot at him, her face red with rage. “What does it matter if he flirts with me? Why does it mater if any male flirts with me? It’s not like you care!”

“That is not true,” Azriel responded through gritted teeth, renewed hurt striking him as hard as Balthazar’s earlier blow. His shadows anxiously swirled between them. “That is not true, and you know it!”

“DO I?” Gwyn screamed; all restraint gone. He hated this yet he couldn’t stop it. “How do I know you care, Azriel? You haven’t said anything. No, instead of talking to me, you just act like an asshole to my friend!”

“I haven’t talked to you because you asked me not to!”

“SO! You could have acted normal, but you didn’t. And FOR WHAT? Because you’re jealous? Because you don’t like Balthazar? WHY DOES IT MATTER?”

“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!” He roared, unable to stop the words from coming out. “It matters because you are my friend and I care about you. It matters because he tried speaking for you. It matters because I am in LOVE WITH YOU, GWYN.”

She froze, staring at him in shock. He had said too much, but he couldn’t stop himself now. The words kept flowing out of him. It was out of his control; the dam had been broken. He couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“It matters because you are the only female I have ever cared about this much,” His voice grew quieter with every word, slowly dropping to a whisper. “It matters because you are my mate. You are my mate and I love you.”

It took him a moment to realize what he had just admitted. Mate. She was his mate. He had known since their last argument, right before she had thrown him into the river. He had stood there as she tossed the that awful necklace into the Sidra, too stunned by the sudden snap in his chest to move. He had known before then that he was falling in love with her, but he hadn’t expected the bond to snap into place. Had stopped caring if it ever did. He only cared about her.

“I…how…why didn’t you tell me?” She quietly asked, gaping at him. He wasn’t sure if it was just shock or hurt on her face. “How long have you known?”

“Since you threw me into the river,” he softly forced out, terrified of how she would respond. “I…Gwyn, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tell you like that. It just came out.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I promised not to push you. To let you make the next move. I was trying to keep that promise.”

“Did you decide you loved me before or after you realized we’re mates?”

“Before,” he admitted. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to rush you. Then the necklace thing happened, and I didn’t know what to do. I’m sorry.”

“Say it again,” she commanded, confusing him.

“What?”

“Say it again, please. I need to know it’s real.”

“Do you mean about the bond or the apology?”

“The bond, please,” Gwyn whispered, her beautiful voice breaking. “Please tell me again.”

“You’re my mate,” he said quietly, wishing he could take her in his arms. “You’re my mate and I love you.”

Then she was running at him, tears streaming down her lovely face. He didn’t have time to react before she was throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. He almost fell backward from the force of it but managed to stay upright, hesitantly wrapping his arms around her waist.

She was kissing him. Gwyn was kissing him. He lifted her off her feet, bringing her closer as he slowly returned the kiss, gently moving his mouth with hers. She sunk her hands into his hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss. He squeezed her tighter, scared that if he let go in the slightest it would all become nothing but a dream.

She kissed him fiercely for a few moments longer before pulling away. By the time her lips left his, he felt dizzy and elated and terrified all at the same time. He stared at her, waiting for her to say something.

“I’m sorry you had to hold that in for so long,” she gently apologized, arms still wrapped around him. He didn’t need an apology, but he let her continue, not wanting to interrupt. “But I am also grateful you waited. I’m not sure how I would have reacted if you had told me that day.”

“Does this mean I’m allowed to talk to you again?” He shyly asked. He wasn’t sure what she wanted to happen now.

“Yes, you can talk to me again,” she assured him, giving him a sweet smile. “But you have to apologize to Balthazar first.

“Fair enough.” He would gladly do whatever she asked if it meant he got to be near her. “After I apologize, what then?”

“Then we can talk about this more,” she promised, eyes sparkling. Gods she was beautiful. “We could go down to the kitchens and have dinner, if you want. And we could get some ice for your face.”

“I’d like that,” he chuckled, barely registering the ache in his jaw. All he could think about was Gwyn. His heart was bursting.

She nodded, accepting his response. “But Az?”

“Yes?”

“I’m nervous,” she admitted, blushing. “I have feelings for you too but I’m not ready for…. everything yet.”

“It’s okay, we can take our time,” he promised. He didn’t care how slow they moved, he just wanted to be with her. “There’s no rush.”

She nodded again, giving him a broad smile. He smiled back, happiness washing everything else away. His chest felt like it was going to explode. Everything was going to work out. He hadn’t lost her. Gwyn was his.

He gently set her down so they could return to the dining room. But as they turned to start walking, they were greeted by their group of friends, all of them standing at the end of the hallway grinning.

Balthazar strode toward them, a wide smile on his face. Azriel walked to meet him, gently grabbing Gwyn’s hand in the process. He stopped just in front of the other male, squeezing Gwyn’s hand for reassurance.

“Balthazar, I’m sorry. I was an asshole tonight,” he apologized, meaning every word. He had acted like an idiot. “Please forgive my atrocious behavior. I’m not normally like this.”

“No apology needed,” Balthazar grinned, eyes dancing with amusement. “I goaded you into it.”

He couldn’t help but gape at Balthazar, Gwyn doing the same at his side. The other male just laughed at them, clearly in on some joke they were missing.

“Could you possibly elaborate?” Azriel asked, utterly confused.

“I could tell you two had something going on,” Balthazar slowly explained with a satisfied smile. “It’s pretty obvious to everyone around you how much you like each other. I was just trying to get one of you to make a move. And it worked.”

“Are you trying to tell us that you wanted to start a fight with Azriel?” Gwyn asked, sounding as shocked as he felt. Normally it was him playing tricks on people, not the other way around.

“No, I didn’t want to fight him,” Balthazar assured them. “The fight happened because I pushed a little too far, which I am sorry for. But hey, it worked out. You two seem to have finally admitted how much you like each other.”

Balthazar clapped him on the shoulder with a laugh, then walked back to the others. Their friends slowly returned to the dining room, leaving him alone with Gwyn again.

“Well, I did not see that coming,” he finally admitted, in utter disbelief. He could become friends with Balthazar. He was sure of it. But first, he wanted to spend time with he female by his side. He turned to her, elated that he could finally look at her as much as he wanted without worrying who saw.

“How about we go get you some ice, Shadowsinger?” She teasingly asked, gently cupping his face. He reveled in her touch. He couldn’t believe this was happening.

He stared at her for a moment, all the weight he had felt for weeks disappearing. The he slowly broke into a wide smile and burst into laughter, Gwyn quickly joining him. She was his. He couldn’t be happier.


End file.
